Shanghaied
by The Timid Eccentric
Summary: to force (in this case, knock out) or trick someone (as in: Hitsugaya) into doing something, going somewhere. AU
1. Prologue

**Standard disclaimer: I don't own Bleach and I never will.**

**…**

**Normal POV**

**…**

Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Taicho of the Tenth Division, was having a horrible day. He had spent hours catching up on paperwork, dealing with Matsumoto's antics, and, on top of that, Kurosaki Karin, his best friend, was going to kill him. He had promised to help her prepare for soccer game against a rival team, and he was already an hour late. Tōshirō slumped in his seat, eyeing the large stack of paperwork on his desk. He hadn't even finished signing and reviewing half of them yet. _'Somehow, in some way, this is all Matsumoto's fault.'_

Sighing in defeat, Tōshirō look at the clock on his wall.

"There is no way I'll make in time." He muttered, "And I can't leave till this is finished." He turned back to the paperwork; " I swear, it's like it had babies when I wasn't looking."

Sighing, once again he went back to work.

**…**

Fifteen-year-old Kurosaki Karin was not happy. After waiting two whole hours, Tōshirō still hadn't shown up. She'll admit, at first she was angry, but now Karin was worried it wasn't like him not to show up on time- Tōshirō always made a point to be punctual. As worried as she was, Karin knew that she couldn't wait any longer- it was almost dinner time. Picking up her soccer ball, she headed homeward.

**…**

It was well into the night when Tōshirō finally conceded defeat. He had been signing papers since before sunrise and, as much as he hated leaving things for tomorrow, he was too tired to keep working. Yawning, the pint-sized Taicho began heading towards his quarters. As he walked down the barely lit hallway, Tōshirō suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. His vision darkened and he lost consciousness.

**…**

It had been to two months. Karin had not heard from him, yet. She was extremely worried. At night, she would stay up wondering what happened. Every time there was a knock on the door, she half expected it to be him. It never was. She kept waiting for him to send word. Contact her to let her know why he hadn't come yet. It still hadn't come. It had gotten to the point where she was considering going to soul society herself- to get answers. Just as Karin was about to act on that impulse, there was a knock on the door. Rushing down the stairs and yanking the door opened, Karin still half expecting it to be her first (best) Shinigami friend. Instead, it was his fukutachio Matsumoto Rangiku- her eyes were blood shot.

"He's gone." Rangiku's voice was thick with emotion.

"Gone… What do mean, gone?"

"We believe he was taken. There is a small amount of his blood in the hallway that lead to his room." Rangiku replied, "However that's all the evidence we have. We don't know why, or who did it. There are no leads. The case is cold."

"I see."

"Karin…" Rangiku seemed to hesitate before continuing, "Due to the length of time he been gone. He is presumed dead, and the investigation was scrapped due to lack of evidence. Hitsugaya-Taicho requested this be given to you should anything happen to him."

She handed Karin a small chest, "I have to go now Karin. Please take care of yourself."

"I will, Rangiku-san." Turning away, Karin shut the door.

Rangiku hurried away, with one thought parting: '_Please be okay, Karin_.'

**…**

'_Gone… Taken… presumed dead…_' those words continued to repeat themselves in her head over and over again. Her eyes were shining with unshed, Karin willed herself not to cry.

'_He isn't dead._' Karin thought, '_There is no way. Tōshirō is strong. There's no way he'd go down without a fight_.' Eyeing the box Matsumoto gave her, Karin decided not to open it, even though she was curious about its contents. '_He isn't dead; therefore, I got no right to open it. If I open it, it would prove I don't believe in him. I will wait. He will return, I just know it._'

Strengthening her resolve, Karin put the chest under her bed, '_I'll keep it safe for him_.'

**…**

The Shinigami only know of five dimensions: Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, Earth (the Land of the Living), the Soul King's realm and Hell. However, there are ten dimensions. The sixth is the realm of the Mystical Creatures. The seventh is the realm of daemons- they stick to themselves. The eighth is the realm of the Heavenly Guardians- who protect the universe and serve gods directly. The ninth is the realm of the demons. The Tenth is the realm of the 'Prodigious' Emperor- note the sarcasm. As aforementioned, the Shinigami are not aware of the existence of these other realms. Based on this information, ask your self this: How can you find someone, if they are in a place you don't know exists?

**...**


	2. Idiots & Dumb ways to Die

**A/N: I'm playing around with time; Tōshirō's narrative is months behind Karin's, (for now). You'll know why later.**

**…**

"_Sarcasm: the best and only response to stupid."_

_~ Anonymous _

**...**

_**Normal POV**_

**…**

"_**This**_ is a present built on blood and tears. I still remember the anguish and the rage. I still remember shrill cries of the children- how could they not scream. After all my curtains, my beautiful curtains, they were… were stained! That is when I decided the culprit must pay!"

"And you are telling me this why?" Tōshirō interrupted, annoyed- the portly man had been at if for hours, constantly repeating himself.

If he could just get out of these chains…

"Because you are the culprit!"

If looks could kill, this guy would be currently in the process of dying, in the slowest and most painful way.

'_I've been abducted by an idiot. He had me taken from Soul Society, because his curtains were stained, and he thought I did it.' _Tōshirō sent the man another icy glare_, _"Are you on crack?"

"I am not under the influence of cocaine."

'_So that what crack is- Karin was right, I am out of touch.'_ Tōshirō thought, _"You know,_ _this guy sounds a lot like I do sometimes, which begs the question: do I sound as ostentatious as he does right no-'_

"Do you regret you're crime, worm?" The man asked.

"Honestly," Toshiro face was completely blank, " No. I can't repent for something I didn't do."

"You- you lying ruffian!"

"Wow, never heard that one before."

"I could do without the sarcastic remarks."

"And I could do without you're presence, but we don't always get what we want."

"Why do you refuse to admit to and repent for your crime?"

"Are you really that stupid?" Tōshirō rolled his eyes.

"Must you insist on insulting my intelligence?" The man smirked, "I have an enormous vocabulary, that, if nothing else, shows my brilliance."

"All that proves is that you own a dictionary, and maybe a thesaurus."

The man's piggish face twisted into a scowl and his beady brown eyes narrowed, "Now look here brat-"

"Haru, you idiot!" A feminine voice cried out.

"Kana, not you too." The man whined.

Kana, who was wearing a flower patterned kimono, stepped into the room.

Ignoring the man, identified as Haru, she faced Hitsugaya, "Are you okay, kid?"

"I'm not a kid," Tōshirō protested, "I'm a Shinigami Taicho."

Kana's azure eyes flashed with anger and she turned to Haru, "Give the kid his sword back, now, and let him go."

"But he is a delinquent, he damaged our property."

"You are an idiot the Shinigami didn't damage anything. We are letting him go. Unchain him, now."

"But-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll tell Uncle that you took a Shinigami from Soul Society, compromising our peace treaty with the Soul King. Now, remove the chains. Let him out of that cell. And bring the sword."

"No, I don't have to do as you say. I broke no rules; the prerequisites, for his presence here to be legal, were met."

"You, idiot!" Kana bellowed, slamming her fist into Haru's face and yanking the keys to Hitsugaya's cell from his grip.

She, then, opened the cell door and hurried over to Tōshirō's side, "I'm so sorry."

Without waiting for a response, she unchained the white haired Taicho and pulled him into her arms. "Haru, how dare you rob the life of one so young? When he hears of this, Uncle, I'm sure, will agree that you do not deserve to be the sole inheritor of his worldly possessions."

"Why do you think that my dear?" An aged man with a soft, yet commanding, voice asked.

"Uncle." Kana pulled Tōshirō closer, "You're nephew has done the unthinkable."

"And what is that my dear."

"This child." She began, releasing the Shinigami from her ironclad hold. "He robbed this innocent soul of it life in Soul Society for a pair of silk curtains."

It the temperature of the room seemed to decrease as the aged man turned his intense gaze to his nephew. "What is the meaning of this Haru?"

"He damaged my curtains, a direct insult to our family, and refused to pay for his crime. So I had to send the assassins to insure he wouldn't insult us again."

"Nephew," The aged man replied icily, " You mean to tell me that a Shinigami- who couldn't possibly knows of this realm existence - snuck into the mansion and ruined you're curtains. A Shinigami, that cannot enter this realm until death, was insulting our family. You are an idiot if you think I believe you. Leave my sight, you shame me."

"Uncle-" Haru began.

"You no longer have the right to refer to me that way. I will no longer continue to over look your indiscretions. I will no longer claim kinship with the likes of you. I wash my hands of you. I want you gone by tomorrow; I have no need for an idiot. Now, get out of my sight!"

"Yes, Uncle." Despite this, Haru continued to linger in the prison.

"It's Sir to you, imprudent child. Now, begone!"

"Yes, Unc-err, Sir." He began languidly moving towards the door, expecting his uncle to change his mind.

"Wait, he took this Shinigami child's sword." Kana cut in.

"Haru."

"Yes, Uncle." Haru hurried back to his Uncle's side, his face hopeful.

"The sword, bring it."

Haru walked out only to return with Hyōrinmaru and the same hopeful expression from earlier.

"Give it to the boy, Haru." His ex-uncle ordered.

He flung Hyōrinmaru in front of Hitsugaya, who quickly seized his Zanpakutō, glowering at Haru all the while.

"Now get out."

"Yes, sir." Haru replied, exiting the room.

"May ask you're name, child?" He asked with a kind smiling-that looked more at home on the aged man's face than the cold fury.

"Hitsugaya Tōshirō and I am not a child."

"Pleasure to make you acquaintance, Hitsugaya-kun. I'm Yuki Tatsuo and this is my Niece, Michiko." He replied, "I know you're not a child, as you Shinigami age differently, but you look like a child- take advantage of it. There is nothing more fleeting than youth."

Had anyone else said that Hitsugaya might have snapped at them, but there was something about the man made it impossible to get mad at him.

"Now come. We have much to discuss, child." His purple eyes twinkled with amusement. "Before you ask, yes, I'm going to keep calling you that. If it makes you feel better, I do that to everyone. When you get to my age, everyone and their grandmother is a child in comparison."

**…**

The kindly gray haired Yuki smiled Tōshirō apologetically. "Sorry, Hitsugaya-san."

Tatsuo had just finished explaining the situation to the young Taicho. However, as it turned out, he had already figured out most of it during the dispute between Kana and her brother.

"It not you're fault."

"You're taking this rather well."

"There's not much I can do about it." Tōshirō sighed, "It just that I never thought that, well, this would happen."

"Well, being killed because a noble thinks you ruined his curtains is a stupid way to go."

"No. This place."

Tatsuo raised an eyebrow, "What about it."

"I thought," Tōshirō paused for a moment, "Well, more accurately, almost everyone in Soul Society thinks that, if you die in Soul Society, you're reincarnated. I expected to be reborn, not to end up here."

"Are you displeased?"

"No, I'm surprised though."

"I see, well, we have to do something about you. We can't just kick you out on the streets. After all, you being here is the fault of my now-disowned nephew. Then there 's the fact that I no longer have a male heir and I need one. I mean, I don't got a lot of time left, maybe five years at best, and Kana needs to be protected." Tatsuo muttered thoughtfully.

"Umm, Yuki-san, why do you need a male heir? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, it wasn't always that way, but, here in the Tenth realm, only males can inherit property by decree of the Emperor. If you have no male heir, when you die, everything you own goes to the Emperor or one of his supporters. So if I don't find one, Kana would left on the streets."

"I see," Tōshirō replied, disturbed that an emperor would make such a decree.

"Perhaps, I was too rash when dealing with Haru. He maybe an idiot, but he is also my only relative who can inhere my property. Then again, who is to say he would have taken care of Kana. He probably would have married her off for money..." Tatsuo suddenly grinned, "I just had a marvelous idea."

"What?"

"Well, Hitsugaya-san, how would you like to be my heir?"

"What?!"

**…**

**Location: Soul Society**

**…**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ukitake Jūshirō asked.

"Yes." Shunsui Kyōraku replied, "Isshin is still pretty strong. Ichigo is a powerhouse. And, we need to replace some of the lost captains. Isshin can have the Tenth back and Ichigo can take his pick of Fourth, Third, or Eighth."

"Will they accept though? You forget they live happily in the human world. If I recall correctly, neither of the two Kurosaki are involved in Shinigami business anymore, except occasionally dealing with a Hallow or two."

"You forget that they will die someday- I admit that's pretty morbid, but it's true. Well, only Ichigo will. Isshin is already dead, and he'll have to come back to Soul Society in a few decades. We can wait. After all, it'll take a while for four people to both achieving Bankai. They have to be good leaders too; no one wants an idiot commander or another Aizen."

"Very true, but are you sure Ichigo will be a good leader?"

"Maybe. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

**…**

**Location: Human World; Kurosaki Household**

**…**

Karin looked to the chest and then to the key and then to the chest again. It had been almost eight months since her best friend went missing, and her curiosity was getting the better of her. She couldn't help it, after all her name was engraved on chest- something she had only noticed recently. It also didn't help that the chest was beautiful. She hadn't noticed at first, as she was too busy trying process the fact that her best Shinigami friend, was gone. But, once she had, Karin, who didn't care much about beauty, found herself fascinated it. It shone like a diamond and was the color of midnight. On the lid was her name in a crystalline teal. It was so beautiful on the outside, and Karin desperately wanted to know if that was true for the inside.

'_I promised I wouldn't open it. Why do I keep thinking about opening it?'_ Karin slumped onto her bed**, '**_Maybe it's because I want to know what Tōshirō left for me. I didn't know I was important enough for him to want to leave me anything, in case he died. I mean Matsumoto said he would have wanted me to have this, but what did he want me to have? All of this would be answered, if I opened the box. But, if I did, it be like accepting he gone and that doesn't seem right. But, I really want to know what's in it. Decisions, Decisions... Well, I've never been known to make good ones.'_

Finally yielding to her curiosity, Karin turned the lock and, with a soft click, the chest opened.' She carefully lifted the lib and then as she looked at the chest's content. It was a letter.

_S_he frowned_, 'I swear if this is a confession...' _

Quickly, she opened and began to read, her grimace changing to a smile.

_**To: Kurosaki Karin**_

_**From: Hitsugaya Tōshirō**_

_**First and foremost, I swear this isn't a confession. Not only would that be tacky, but, also, pathetic. I'd like to say that I'm very insulted, you thought that. Don't tell me you didn't. I know you, you did. But, I guess this makes us even. I missed your birthday, which I'm very sorry about, and you thought I was confessing to you. This is at least a week late, but, congratulations, you're ancient! ****Happy Sixteenth Birthday Kurosaki.**_ _**I hope this present is to your liking.**_

_**Ps: I had to write this letter to insure Matsumoto wouldn't look in the box. **_

_**Pss: She thinks this a confession. Please dissuade her.**_

Karin laughed softly, at that, before continuing to read.

_**Also look in the chest again and, in case you're wondering, it won't ever melt. **_

_'What won't ever melt?'_ Karin wondered, before turning back towards the chest. Her eyes-widened. A sword, made entirely of ice, cool to the touch, about two feet long. Just like her name on the chest's lid, it crystalline teal, and the sheath that lay next to it was midnight black.

Karin grinned, "This is so cool."

Then Karin's eyes widened in realization, _'Matsumoto said that he wanted me to have this incase something bad happened to him, but this was my birthday present. Wait,didn't the letter say Matsumoto thought this was a confession? Shit... she's had eight months to think that.'_

**…**

**A/N: What do you all think?**


End file.
